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Blue Jackets Acquire Torres From Edmonton

The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired left wing Raffi Torres from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for forward Gilbert Brule, club General Manager Scott Howson announced today.

Torres, 26, has registered 67 goals and 59 assists for 126 points with 255 penalty minutes and a cumulative plus/minus rating of +7 in 307 career NHL games with the Oilers and New York Islanders. He tallied 5-6-11 and 36 penalty minutes in 32 games in 2007-08, missing 49 games due to a knee injury.

"Raffi Torres is an experienced NHL player who combines a physical presence with the ability to score goals," said Howson. "He will also bring to our club the experience of someone who has played deep into the playoffs as he was a significant contributor to Oilers' run to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals."

The Islanders' second pick, fifth overall, in the 2000 Entry Draft, Torres played parts of two seasons with the club before joining the Oilers prior to the 2003-04 campaign. He notched 20-14-34 and 65 penalty minutes during his rookie season in 2003-04 and represented the Oilers at the NHL YoungStars Game during All-Star Weekend. After spending the lockout-cancelled 2004-05 season with the American Hockey League's Edmonton Road Runners, he registered a career-high 27-14-41 with 50 penalty minutes with the Oilers in 2005-06. He ranked second on the club in goals and sixth in points and added 4-7-11 and 16 penalty minutes in 22 playoff games to help Edmonton advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. In 2006-07, he collected 15-19-34 and 88 penalty minutes in 82 games, setting career highs in assists and penalty minutes.

The 6-foot, 216-pound native of Toronto, Ontario played three seasons with the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League from 1998-01. He registered 111-112-223 and 148 penalty minutes in 185 career OHL games, including a career-high 43-48-91 in 68 games in 1999-00. He earned OHL All-Rookie Team honors in 1998-99 and was a Second Team OHL All-Star in 1999-00 and 2000-01. One of his teammates with the Battalion from 1999-01 was current Blue Jackets defenseman Rostislav Klesla. Torres also scored in overtime of the bronze medal game for Canada at the 2001 World Junior Championships.

Brule was Columbus' first pick, sixth overall, in the 2005 Entry Draft. He appeared in 146 career games with the club over the past three seasons, tallying 12-20-32 and 52 penalty minutes. In 2007-08, he collected 1-8-9 and 24 penalty minutes in 61 games with the Blue Jackets.